Tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF

ABSTRACT

A hybrid tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF as well as seeds and plants and fruits thereof are disclosed. NUN 09247 TOF is a cherry saladette (grape) tomato variety for the fresh market (snack segment), comprising resistance to  Fulvia fulva  Groups A-E and Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV) Strains 0, 1, 2, and 1-2.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.62/770,329, filed Nov. 21, 2018, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates to the field of plant breeding and, morespecifically, to the tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. The disclosurefurther relates to vegetative reproductions of tomato variety NUN 09247TOF, methods for tissue culture of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, methodsfor regenerating a plant from such a tissue culture, and to phenotypicvariants of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF.

BACKGROUND

The goal of plant breeding is to combine various desirable traits in asingle variety. Such desirable traits may include greater yield,resistance to diseases, insects or other pests, tolerance to heat anddrought, better agronomic quality, higher nutritional value, enhancedgrowth rate and improved fruit properties.

Breeding techniques take advantage of a plant's method of pollination.There are two general methods of pollination: self-pollination andcross-pollination. A plant self-pollinates if pollen from one flower istransferred to the same or another flower of the same genotype. A plantcross-pollinates if pollen comes to it from a flower of a differentgenotype.

Plants that have been self-pollinated and selected for (uniform) typeover many generations become homozygous at almost all gene loci andproduce a uniform population of true breeding progeny of homozygousplants. A cross between two such homozygous plants of different linesproduces a uniform population of hybrid plants that are heterozygous formany gene loci. The extent of heterozygosity in the hybrid is a functionof the genetic distance between the parents. Conversely, a cross of twoplants each heterozygous at a number of loci produces a segregatingpopulation of hybrid plants that differ genetically and are not uniform.The resulting non-uniformity makes performance unpredictable.

The development of uniform varieties requires the development ofhomozygous inbred plants, the crossing of these inbred plants to makehybrids, and the evaluation of the hybrids resulting from the crosses.Pedigree breeding and recurrent selection are examples of breedingmethods that have been used to develop inbred plants from breedingpopulations. Those breeding methods combine the genetic backgrounds fromtwo or more plants or various other broad-based sources into breedingpools from which new lines are developed by selfing and selection ofdesired phenotypes. The new plants are evaluated to determine which havecommercial potential.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum and closely related species) is naturally adiploid and the basic chromosome number of the genus is x=12, most are2n=2x=24, including the cultivated ones. It originated in the New Worldand has since become a major food crop.

Tomato cultivars may be grouped by maturity, i.e., the time requiredfrom planting the seed to the stage where fruit harvest can occur.Standard maturity classifications include ‘early’, ‘midseason’ or‘late-maturing’. Another classification for tomatoes is thedevelopmental timing of fruit set. ‘Determinate’ plants grow foliage,then transition into a reproductive phase of flower setting, pollinationand fruit development. Consequently, determinant cultivars have a largeproportion of the fruit ripen within a short time frame. Growers thatharvest only once in a season favor determinant type cultivars. Incontrast, ‘indeterminate’ types grow foliage, then enter a long phasewhere flower and fruit development proceed along with new foliar growth.Growers that harvest the same plants multiple times favor indeterminatetype cultivars.

Tomatoes can also be classified by their target markets: fresh marketand processing tomatoes. Fresh-market tomatoes are primarily used forsalads, salad bar and sandwiches, and require good storage properties.On the other hand, processing tomatoes generally requires red coloredand pink to red/crimson fruit flesh and higher percentage of solublesolids. Processing tomatoes can be canned whole, canned, diced orchopped, dried, roasted, pasted, puréed or concentrated, juiced, frozen,or put into ready-made dishes, for example, sauces, stews or soups.

In 2017, World Atlas reported that the worldwide production of tomatoesamounted to 170.8 million tons. United States is ranked as the thirdlargest producer of tomatoes in the world, next to China and India.Tomatoes are available in the United States year-round, with Californiaand Florida being the major producers. Fresh-market tomatoes areavailable from May to December although supply peaks in July and inSeptember through October. Processing tomatoes have the greatest supplyfrom August to September.

In response to more recent consumer demands for dietary diversity,tomato breeders have developed a wider range of colors. In addition toexpanding the range of red colored fruits, there are cultivars thatproduce fruits that are creamy white, lime green, yellow, green, golden,orange and purple. Additionally, there are multi-colored varietiesexemplified by mainly red fruited varieties with green shoulders, andboth striped- and variegated-colored fruit.

SUMMARY OF VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure provides for tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, productsthereof, and methods of using the same. NUN 09247 TOF is a red cherrysaladette (grape) tomato variety for the fresh market (snack segment)and is suitable for growing in a protected (greenhouse) environment.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a seed of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF, wherein a representative sample of said seed has beendeposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43642. The disclosure alsoprovides for a plurality of seeds of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. Theseed of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF may be provided as an essentiallyhomogeneous population of tomato seed. The population of seed of tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF may be particularly defined as being essentiallyfree from other seed. The seed population may be grown into plants toprovide an essentially homogeneous population of tomato plants asdescribed herein.

The disclosure also provides a plant grown from a seed of tomato varietyNUN 09247 TOF and a plant part thereof. In another aspect, thedisclosure provides for a hybrid tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. Thedisclosure also provides for a progeny of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF.In another aspect, the disclosure provides a plant or a progenyretaining all or all but one, two or three of the “distinguishingcharacteristics” or all or all but one, two or three of the“morphological and physiological characteristics” of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF and methods for producing that plant or progeny.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a plant or a progeny having allthe physiological and morphological characteristics of variety NUN 09247TOF when grown under the same environmental conditions. In anotheraspect, the plant or progeny has all or all but one, two or three of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF when measured under the same environmental conditions ande.g., evaluated at significance levels of 1%, 5% or 10% significance(which can also be expressed as a p-value) for quantitativecharacteristics, wherein a representative sample of seed of variety NUN09247 TOF has been deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43642. Inanother aspect, the plant or progeny has all or all but one, two orthree of the physiological and morphological characteristics as listedin Tables 1 and 2 for variety NUN 09247 TOF when measured under the sameenvironmental conditions and e.g., evaluated at significance levels of1%, 5% or 10% significance (which can also be expressed as a p-value)for quantitative characteristics.

In another aspect, a plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF or a progeny thereofhas 10, 11, or more or all of the following distinguishingcharacteristics as shown in Table 3: 1) longer plant height; 2)horizontal leaf attitude; 3) shorter leaf length; 4) smaller size ofleaflets (in middle of leaf); 5) horizontal attitude of petiole ofleaflet in relation to main axis; 6) equally uniparous and multiparousinflorescence type; 7) absence of green shoulder before maturity; 8)lighter ripened fruit weight; 9) elliptic fruit shape in longitudinalsection; 10) flat fruit shape at blossom end; and 11) thicker pericarp.

In another aspect, a plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF or a progeny thereofcomprises resistance to Fulvia fulva Groups A-E and Tomato Mosaic Virus(ToMV) Strains 0, 1, 2, and 1-2, measured according to UPOV standardsdescribed in TG/44/11.

In other aspects, the disclosure provides for a plant part obtained fromvariety NUN 09247 TOF, wherein said plant part is: a fruit, a harvestedfruit, a part of a fruit, a leaf, a part of a leaf, pollen, an ovule, acell, a petiole, a shoot or a part thereof, a stem or a part thereof, aroot or a part thereof, a root tip, a cutting, a seed, a part of a seed,seed coat or another maternal tissue which is part of a seed grown onsaid variety, a hypocotyl, a cotyledon, a scion, a stock, a rootstock, apistil, an anther, or a flower or a part thereof. Fruits areparticularly important plant parts. In another aspect, the plant partobtained from variety NUN 09247 TOF is a cell, optionally a cell in acell or tissue culture. That cell may be grown into a plant of varietyNUN 09247 TOF.

The disclosure also provides a cell culture of tomato variety NUN 09247TOF and a plant regenerated from tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, whichplant has all the characteristics of variety NUN 09247 TOF when grownunder the same environmental conditions, as well as methods forculturing and regenerating tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. Alternatively,a regenerated plant may have one characteristic that is different fromtomato variety NUN 09247 TOF.

The disclosure further provides a vegetatively propagated plant ofvariety NUN 09247 TOF having all or all but one, two or three of themorphological and physiological characteristics of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF when grown under the same environmental conditions.

The disclosure furthermore provides a tomato fruit produced on a plantgrown from a seed of variety NUN 09247 TOF.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a seed growing or grown on aplant of variety NUN 09247 TOF (i.e., produced after pollination of theflower of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the plant of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF.

FIG. 2 shows the flower and cross-section of mature fruit of tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF.

FIG. 3 shows the leaf of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF.

DEFINITIONS

“Tomato” refers herein to plants of the species Solanum lycopersicum, ora closely related species, and fruits thereof. Solanum lycopersicum isalso known as Lycopersicon lycopersicum (L.) H. Karst. or Lycopersiconesculentum Mill. The most commonly eaten part of a tomato is the fruitor berry.

“Cultivated tomato” refers to plants of Solanum lycopersicum, or aclosely related species (e.g., varieties, breeding lines or cultivars ofthe species S. lycopersicum as well as crossbreds thereof, or crossbredswith other Solanum species), cultivated by humans and having goodagronomic characteristics.

The terms “tomato plant designated NUN 09247 TOF,” “NUN 09247 TOF,” “NUN09247,” “NUN 09247 F1,” “09247 TOF,” “tomato 09247,” or “Luvion” areused interchangeably herein and refer to a tomato plant of variety NUN09247 TOF, representative seed of which is deposited under AccessionNumber NCIMB 43642.

A “seed of NUN 09247 TOF” refers to a tomato seed which can be growninto a plant of NUN 09247 TOF, wherein a representative sample of viableseed of NUN 09247 TOF is to be deposited under Accession Number NCIMB43642. A seed can be in any stage of maturity, for example, a mature,viable seed, or an immature, non-viable seed. A seed comprises an embryoand maternal tissues.

An “embryo of NUN 09247 TOF” refers to an “F1hybrid embryo” as presentin a seed of NUN 09247 TOF, a representative sample of said seed of NUN09247 TOF is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43642.

A “seed grown on NUN 09247 TOF” refers to a seed grown on a mature plantof variety NUN 09247 TOF or inside a fruit of tomato variety NUN 09247TOF. The “seed grown on NUN 09247 TOF” contains tissues and DNA of thematernal parent, tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. The “seed grown on NUN09247 TOF” contains an F2embryo. When said seed is planted, it growsinto a first generation progeny plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF.

A “fruit of NUN 09247 TOF” refers to a fruit containing maternal tissuesof tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF as deposited under Accession NumberNCIMB 43642. The fruit comprises pericarp, septa, epidermis, columella,locular cavity, vascular bundles and optionally seed. Pericarp, septa,epidermis, columella, locular cavity, vascular bundles, and seed coat ofthe seed are maternal tissues, e.g., they are genetically identical tothe plant on which they grow. In one aspect, the fruit contains seedgrown on tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. In another aspect, the fruit doesnot contain seed, i.e., the fruit is parthenocarpic. The skilled personis familiar with methods for inducing parthenocarpy. Those methodscomprise chemically or genetically inducing parthenocarpy. Compoundssuitable for chemically inducing parthenocarpy comprise auxins,gibberellins and cytokinins. Methods for genetically inducingparthenocarpy comprise the methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,125,353,US 2002/0010953, U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,648, EP 1057401 and EP 1428425,which are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties.

An “essentially homogeneous population of tomato seed” is a populationof seeds where at least 97%, 98%, 99% or more of the total population ofseed are seed of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF.

An “essentially homogeneous population of tomato plants” is a populationof plants where at least 97%, 98%, 99% or more of the total populationof plants are plants of variety NUN 09247 TOF.

The phrase “essentially free from other seed” refers to a population ofseed where less than 3%, 2%, 1% or less of the total population of seedis seed that is not a tomato seed or, in another aspect, less than 3%,2%, 1% or less of the total population of seed is seed that is not seedof tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF.

“Tissue culture” or “cell culture” refers to a composition comprisingisolated cells of the same or a different type or a collection of suchcells organized into parts of a plant. Tissue culture of various tissuesof tomato and regeneration of plants therefrom is well known and widelypublished (see, e.g., Bhatia et al. (2004), Plant Cell, Tissue and OrganCulture 78: 1-21). Similarly, methods of preparing cell cultures areknown in the art.

“USDA descriptors” are the plant variety descriptors described fortomatoing the “Objective Description of Variety Tomato (Solanumlycopersicum or Lycopersicon esculentum Mill)”, as published by the USDepartment of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, Plant VarietyProtection Office, Beltsville, Md. 20705 and which can be downloadedfrom the world wide web at ams.usda.gov underservices/plant-variety-protection/pvpo-c-forms under tomato. “Non-USDAdescriptors” are other descriptors suitable for describing tomato.

“UPOV descriptors” are the plant variety descriptors described fortomato in the “Guidelines for the Conduct of Tests for Distinctness,Uniformity and Stability, TG/44/11 (Geneva 2011, revised 2013 Mar. 20),as published by UPOV (International Union for the Protection of NewVarieties and Plants), and which can be downloaded from the world wideweb at upov.int/under edocs/tgdocs/en/tg044.pdf and is hereinincorporated by reference in its entirety. Likewise, “UPOV methods” todetermine specific parameters for the characterization of tomato aredescribed at upov.int.

“RHS” refers to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) which publishes anofficial botanical color chart quantitatively identifying colorsaccording to a defined numbering system. The chart may be purchased fromRoyal Horticulture Society Enterprise Ltd RHS Garden; Wisley, Woking;Surrey GU236QB, UK, e.g., the RHS color chart 2007.

“Reference Variety for NUN 09247 TOF” refers herein to variety Sweetellefrom Syngenta, which has been planted in a trial together with NUN 09247TOF. The characteristics of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF are comparedwith the characteristics of the Reference Variety as shown in Tables 1and 2. The distinguishing characteristics between tomato variety NUN09247 TOF and the Reference Variety are shown in Table 3.

“Plant part” includes any part of a plant, such as a plant organ (e.g.,harvested or non-harvested fruits), a plant cell, a plant protoplast, aplant cell tissue culture or a tissue culture from which a whole plantcan be regenerated, a plant cell that is intact in a plant, a clone, amicropropagation, plant callus, a plant cell clump, a plant transplant,a vegetative propagation, a seedling, a fruit, a harvested fruit, a partof a fruit, a leaf, a part of a leaf, pollen, an ovule, an embryo, apetiole, a shoot or a part thereof, a stem or a part thereof, a root ora part thereof, a root tip, a cutting, a seed, a part of a seed,hypocotyl, cotyledon, a scion, a graft, a stock, a rootstock, a pistil,an anther, and a flower or parts of any of these and the like. Seed canbe mature or immature. Pollen or ovules may be viable or non-viable.Also, any developmental stage is included, such as seedlings, cuttingsprior or after rooting, mature plants or leaves. Alternatively, a plantpart may also include a plant seed which comprises one or two sets ofchromosomes derived from the parent plant, e.g., from tomato variety NUN09247 TOF. An F1progeny produced from self-pollination of tomato varietyNUN 09247 TOF will thus comprise two sets of chromosomes derived fromtomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, while an F1progeny derived fromcross-fertilization of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF will comprise onlyone set of chromosomes from tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, and the otherset of chromosomes from the other parent.

“Harvest maturity” is referred to as the stage at which a tomato fruitis ripe or ready for harvest or the optimal time to harvest the fruitfor the market, for processing or for consumption. In one aspect,harvest maturity is the stage which allows proper completion of thenormal ripening.

“Harvested plant material” refers herein to plant parts (e.g., singlefruits or clusters of fruits detached from the whole plant), which havebeen collected for further storage and/or further use.

“Yield” means the total weight of all tomato fruits harvested perhectare of a particular line or variety. It is understood that “yield”expressed as weight of all tomato fruits harvested per hectare can beobtained by multiplying the number of plants per hectare times the“yield per plant”.

“Marketable yield” means the total weight of all marketable tomatofruits, especially fruit which is not cracked, damaged or diseased,harvested per hectare of a particular line or variety. A “marketablefruit” is a fruit that has commercial value.

“Rootstock” or “stock” refers to the plant selected for its roots, inparticular for the resistance of the roots to diseases or stress (e.g.,heat, cold, salinity etc.). Normally the quality of the fruit of theplant providing the rootstock is less important.

“Scion” refers to a part of the plant attached to the rootstock. Thisplant is selected for its stems, leaves, flowers, or fruits. The scioncontains the desired genes to be duplicated in future production by thestock/scion plant and may produce the desired tomato fruit.

“Stock/scion” or grafted plant refers to a tomato plant comprising arootstock from one plant grafted to a scion from another plant.

A plant having “all the physiological and morphological characteristics”of a referred-to-plant means a plant showing the physiological andmorphological characteristics of the referred-to-plant when grown underthe same environmental conditions, preferably in the same experiment;the referred-to-plant can be a plant from which it was derived, e.g.,the progenitor plant, the parent, the recurrent parent, the plant usedfor tissue- or cell culture, etc. A physiological or morphologicalcharacteristic can be a numerical characteristic or a non-numericalcharacteristic. In one aspect, a plant has “all but one, two or three ofthe physiological and morphological characteristics” of areferred-to-plant, or “all the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics” of Tables 1 and 2 or “all or all but one, two or threeof the physiological and morphological characteristics” of Tables 1 and2.

The physiological and/or morphological characteristics mentioned aboveare commonly evaluated at significance levels of 1%, 5% or 10% if theyare numerical (quantitative), or for having an identical degree (ortype) if not numerical (not quantitative), if measured under the sameenvironmental conditions. For example, a progeny plant or a Single LocusConverted plant or a mutated plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF may have oneor more (or all) of the essential physiological and/or morphologicalcharacteristics of said variety listed in Tables 1 and 2, as determinedat the 5% significance level (i.e., p<0.05), when grown under the sameenvironmental conditions.

“Distinguishing characteristics” or “distinguishing morphological and/orphysiological characteristics” refers herein to the characteristicswhich distinguish (i.e., are different) between the new variety andother tomato varieties, such as the Reference Variety, when grown underthe same environmental conditions. The distinguishing characteristicsbetween tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF and Reference Variety are describedin Table 3. When comparing tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF with differentvarieties, the distinguishing characteristics will be different. In oneaspect, the distinguishing characteristics may therefore include atleast one, two, three or more (or all) of the characteristics listed inTables 1 and 2. All numerical distinguishing characteristics arestatistically significantly different at p<0.05 between tomato varietyNUN 09247 TOF and the other variety (e.g., Reference Variety).

Tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF has the following distinguishingcharacteristics when compared to the Reference Variety as shown in Table3: 1) longer plant height; 2) horizontal leaf attitude; 3) shorter leaflength; 4) smaller size of leaflets (in middle of leaf); 5) horizontalattitude of petiole of leaflet in relation to main axis; 6) equallyuniparous and multiparous inflorescence type; 7) absence of greenshoulder before maturity; 8) lighter ripened fruit weight; 9) ellipticfruit shape in longitudinal section; 10) flat fruit shape at blossomend; and 11) thicker pericarp, when grown under the same environmentalconditions.

Thus, a tomato plant “comprising the distinguishing characteristics ofNUN 09247 TOF” (such as a progeny plant) refers herein to a plant whichdoes not differ significantly from said variety in the distinguishingcharacteristics above. Therefore, in one aspect, the disclosure providesa plant that does not differ significantly from tomato variety NUN 09247TOF in the distinguishing characteristics above.

Similarity and differences between two different plant lines orvarieties can be determined by comparing the number of morphologicaland/or physiological characteristics (e.g., the characteristics aslisted in Tables 1 and 2) that are the same (i.e., statistically notsignificantly different) or that are different (i.e., statisticallysignificantly different) between the two plant lines or varieties whengrown under the same environmental conditions. A numericalcharacteristic is considered to be “the same” when the value for anumeric characteristic is not significantly different at the 1% (p<0.01)or 5% (p<0.05) significance level, using one way analysis of variance(ANOVA), a standard method known to the skilled person. Non-numerical or“degree” or “type” characteristic is considered “the same” when thevalues have the same “degree” or “type” when scored using USDA and/orUPOV descriptors, if the plants are grown under the same environmentalconditions.

A “plant line” is, for example, a breeding line which can be used todevelop one or more varieties. A breeding line is typically highlyhomozygous.

“Hybrid variety” or “F1hybrid” refers to the seeds harvested fromcrossing two inbred (nearly homozygous) parental lines. For example, thefemale parent is pollinated with pollen of the male parent to producehybrid (F1) seeds on the female parent.

“Regeneration” refers to the development of a plant from cell culture ortissue culture or vegetative propagation.

“Vegetative propagation”, “vegetative reproduction” or “clonalpropagation” are used interchangeably herein and mean a method of takinga part of a plant and allowing that plant part to form at least roots,and also refer to the plant or plantlet obtained by that method.Optionally, the vegetative propagation is grown into a mature plant. Theskilled person is aware of what plant parts are suitable for use in themethod.

“Selfing” refers to self-pollination of a plant, i.e., the transfer ofpollen from the anther to the stigma of the same plant.

“Crossing” refers to the mating of two parent plants. The termencompasses “cross-pollination” and “selfing”.

“Cross-pollination” refers to the fertilization by the union of twogametes from different plants.

As used herein, the terms “resistance” and “tolerance” are usedinterchangeably to describe plants that show no symptoms orsignificantly reduced symptoms to a specified biotic pest, pathogen,abiotic influence or environmental condition compared to a susceptibleplant. These terms are optionally also used to describe plants showingsome symptoms but that are still able to produce marketable product withan acceptable yield.

The term “traditional breeding techniques” encompasses herein crossing,selfing, selection, doubled haploid production, embryo rescue,protoplast fusion, marker assisted selection, mutation breeding, etc. asknown to the breeder (e.g., methods other than geneticmodification/transformation/transgenic methods), by which, for example,a genetically heritable trait can be transferred from one tomato line orvariety to another.

“Backcrossing” is a traditional breeding technique used to introduce atrait into a plant line or variety. The plant containing the trait iscalled the donor plant and the plant into which the trait is transferredis called the recurrent parent. An initial cross is made between thedonor parent and the recurrent parent to produce a progeny plant.Progeny plants which have the trait are then crossed to the recurrentparent. After several generations of backcrossing and/or selfing therecurrent parent comprises the trait of the donor. The plant generatedin this way may be referred to as a “single trait converted plant”. Thetechnique can also be used on a parental line of a hybrid.

“Progeny” as used herein refers to a plant obtained from a plantdesignated NUN 09247 TOF. A progeny may be obtained by regeneration ofcell culture or tissue culture or parts of a plant of said variety orselfing of a plant of said variety or by producing seeds of a plant ofsaid variety. In further aspects, progeny may also encompass plantsobtained from crossing of at least one plant of said variety withanother tomato plant of the same variety or another variety or(breeding) line, or with wild tomato plants. A progeny may comprise amutation or a transgene. A “first generation progeny” or is the progenydirectly derived from, obtained from, obtainable from or derivable fromthe parent plant by, e.g., traditional breeding methods (selfing and/orcross-pollinating) or regeneration (optimally combined withtransformation or mutation). Thus, a plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF isthe male parent, the female parent or both of a first generation progenyof that variety. Progeny may have all the physiological andmorphological characteristics of variety NUN 09247 TOF when grown underthe same environmental conditions. Using common breeding methods such asbackcrossing or recurrent selection, mutation or transformation, one ormore specific characteristics may be introduced into said variety, toprovide a plant comprising all but 1, 2, or 3 or more of themorphological and physiological characteristics of variety NUN 09247 TOF(as listed in Tables 1 and 2).

The terms “gene converted” or “conversion plant” or “single locusconverted plant” in this context refer to tomato plants which aredeveloped by traditional breeding techniques e.g., backcrossing, or viagenetic engineering or through mutation breeding, wherein essentiallyall of the desired morphological and physiological characteristics ofthe parent variety or line are recovered, in addition to the one or moregenes transferred into the parent via e.g., the backcrossing technique(optionally including reverse breeding or reverse synthesis of breedinglines). It is understood that not only the addition of a furthercharacteristic (e.g., addition of gene conferring a furthercharacteristic, such as a disease resistance gene), but also thereplacement/modification of an existing characteristic by a differentcharacteristic is encompassed herein (e.g., mutant allele of a gene canmodify the phenotype of a characteristic).

Likewise, a “Single Locus Converted (Conversion) Plant” refers to plantsdeveloped by plant breeding techniques comprising or consisting ofmutation and/or by genetic transformation and/or by traditional breedingtechniques, such as backcrossing, wherein essentially all of the desiredmorphological and physiological characteristics of a tomato variety arerecovered in addition to the characteristics of the single locus havingbeen transferred into the variety via the above mentioned technique. Incase of a hybrid, the gene may be introduced in the male or femaleparental line.

“Average” refers herein to the arithmetic mean.

The term “mean” refers to the arithmetic mean of several measurements.The skilled person understands that the appearance of a plant depends tosome extent on the growing conditions of said plant. Thus, the skilledperson will know typical growing conditions for tomato variety NUN 09247TOF. The mean, if not indicated otherwise within this application,refers to the arithmetic mean of measurements on at least 10 different,randomly selected plants of a variety or line.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure also relates to a plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF, whereina representative sample of seeds of said variety has been depositedunder the Budapest Treaty, with Accession number NCIMB 43642. NUN 09247TOF is a red cherry saladette (grape) tomato variety for the freshmarket (snack segment) and is suitable for growing in a protected(greenhouse) environment.

The disclosure also relates to a seed of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF,wherein a representative sample of said seed has been deposited underthe Budapest Treaty, with Accession number NCIMB 43642.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides for a tomato plant part ofvariety NUN 09247 TOF, preferably a fruit, a representative sample ofseed from said variety is deposited under the Budapest Treaty, withAccession number NCIMB 43642.

In another aspect, a seed of hybrid variety NUN 09247 TOF is obtainableby crossing the male parent of said variety with the female parent ofsaid variety and harvesting the seeds produced on the female parent. Theresultant seeds of said variety can be grown to produce plants of saidvariety. In one aspect, a seed or a plurality of seeds of said varietyare packaged into a container of any size or type (e.g., bags, cartons,cans, etc.). The seed may be disinfected, primed and/or treated withvarious compounds, such as seed coatings or crop protection compounds.The seed produces a plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF.

Also provided is a plant of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, or a fruit orother plant part thereof, produced from a seed, wherein a representativesample of said seeds is deposited under the Budapest Treaty, withAccession Number NCIMB 43642.

Also provided is a plant part obtained from variety NUN 09247 TOF,wherein said plant part is a fruit, a harvested fruit, a part of afruit, a leaf, a part of a leaf, pollen, an ovule, a cell, a petiole, ashoot or a part thereof, a stem or a part thereof, a root or a partthereof, a root tip, a cutting, a seed, a part of a seed, seed coat oranother maternal tissue which is part of a seed grown on said variety, ahypocotyl, a cotyledon, a scion, a stock, a rootstock, a pistil, ananther, and a flower or a part thereof. Fruits are particularlyimportant plant parts. Fruits may be parthenocarpic, or seedless, orcontain immature and/or nonviable seeds. In a further aspect, the plantpart obtained from variety NUN 09247 TOF is a cell, optionally a cell ina cell or tissue culture. That cell may be grown into a plant of varietyNUN 09247 TOF. A part of the plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF (or ofprogeny of that variety or of a plant having all physiological and/ormorphological characteristics but one, two or three which are differentfrom those of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF) further encompasses anycells, tissues, or organs obtainable from the seedlings or plants in anystage of maturity.

The disclosure also provides for a food, a feed, or a processed productcomprising or consisting of a plant part described herein. Preferably,the plant part is a tomato fruit or part thereof and/or an extract froma fruit or another plant part described herein comprising at least onecell of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. The food or feed product may befresh or processed, e.g., dried, grinded, powdered, pickled, chopped,cooked, roasted, in a sauce, in a sandwich, pasted, puréed orconcentrated, juiced, pickled, canned, steamed, boiled, fried, blanchedand/or frozen, etc.

Such a plant part of variety NUN 09247 TOF can be stored and/orprocessed further. The disclosure thus also provides for a food or feedproduct comprising one or more of such parts, such as canned, chopped,cooked, roasted, in a sauce, in a sandwich, pasted, puréed orconcentrated, juiced, frozen, dried, pickled, or powdered tomato fruitfrom variety NUN 09247 TOF or from progeny of said variety, or from aderived variety, such as a plant having all but one, two or threephysiological and/or morphological characteristics of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides for a tomato fruit of varietyNUN 09247 TOF, or a part of a fruit of said variety. The fruit can be inany stage of maturity, for example, immature or mature. In anotheraspect, the disclosure provides for a container comprising or consistingof a plurality of harvested tomato fruits or parts of fruits of saidvariety, or fruits of progeny thereof, or fruits of a derived variety.

In another aspect, the plant, plant part or seed of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF is inside a container, for example, containers such as cans,boxes, crates, bags, cartons, Modified Atmosphere Packaging, films(e.g., biodegradable films), etc. comprising a plant or a part of aplant (fresh and/or processed) or a seed of tomato variety NUN 09247TOF. In a particular aspect, the container comprises a plurality ofseeds of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF or a plurality of plant parts oftomato variety NUN 09247 TOF.

The disclosure further relates to a tomato variety, referred to as NUN09247 TOF, which when compared to its Reference Variety has thefollowing distinguishing characteristics as shown in Table 3: 1) longerplant height; 2) horizontal leaf attitude; 3) shorter leaf length; 4)smaller size of leaflets (in middle of leaf); 5) horizontal attitude ofpetiole of leaflet in relation to main axis; 6) equally uniparous andmultiparous inflorescence type; 7) absence of green shoulder beforematurity; 8) lighter ripened fruit weight; 9) elliptic fruit shape inlongitudinal section; 10) flat fruit shape at blossom end; and 11)thicker pericarp, when grown under the same environmental conditions.Also encompassed by the present disclosure are parts of that plant.

In one aspect, a plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF or a progeny plantthereof, comprises all of the following morphological and/orphysiological characteristics (i.e., as indicated on the UPOV TestGuidelines for tomato) as shown in Tables 1 and 2, when grown under thesame environmental conditions. A part of this plant is also provided.

In another aspect, tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF or a progeny thereofcomprises resistance to Fulvia fulva Groups A-E and Tomato Mosaic VirusStrain 0, 1, 2, and 1-2, measured according to UPOV standards describedin TG/44/11.

The disclosure further provides a tomato plant which does not differfrom the physiological and morphological characteristics of the plant ofvariety NUN 09247 TOF as determined at the 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% or 5%significance level when grown under the same environmental conditions.In a particular aspect, the plants are measured in the same trial (e.g.,the trial is conducted as recommended by USDA or UPOV). The disclosurealso comprises a part of said plant.

The disclosure also provides a tissue or cell culture comprising cellsof tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. Such a tissue culture can, for example,be grown on plates or in liquid culture, or be frozen for long termstorage. The cells of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF used to start theculture can be selected from any plant part suitable for vegetativereproduction, or, in a particular aspect, can be cells of an embryo,meristem, a cotyledon, a hypocotyl, pollen, a leaf, an anther, a root, aroot tip, a pistil, a petiole, a flower, a fruit, seed, or a stem. Inanother particular aspect, the tissue culture does not containsomaclonal variation or has reduced somaclonal variation. The skilledperson is familiar with methods to reduce or prevent somaclonalvariation, including regular reinitiation.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a tomato plant regenerated fromthe tissue or cell culture of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, wherein theregenerated plant is not significantly different from tomato variety NUN09247 TOF in all, or all but one, two or three, of the physiological andmorphological characteristics (e.g., determined at the 5% significancelevel when grown under the same environmental conditions). Optionally,the plant has one, two or three the physiological and morphologicalcharacteristics that are affected by a mutation or by transformation. Inanother aspect, the disclosure provides a tomato plant regenerated fromthe tissue or cell culture of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, wherein theplant has all of the physiological and morphological characteristics ofsaid variety determined (e.g., 5% significance level) when grown underthe same environmental conditions. Similarity or difference of acharacteristic is determined by measuring the characteristics on arepresentative number of plants grown under the same environmentalconditions, determining whether type/degree characteristics are the sameand determining whether numerical characteristics are different at the5% significance level.

Tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, or its progeny, or a plant having allphysiological and/or morphological characteristics but one, two or threewhich are different from those of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF can alsobe reproduced using vegetative reproduction methods. Therefore, thedisclosure provides for a method of producing a plant or plant part oftomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, comprising vegetative propagation oftomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. Vegetative propagation comprisesregenerating a whole plant from a plant part of variety NUN 09247 TOF,from a progeny or from or a plant having all physiological and/ormorphological characteristics of said variety but one, two or threedifferent characteristics, such as a cutting, a cell culture or a tissueculture.

The disclosure also provides methods of vegetatively propagating a partof the plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF. In certain aspects, the methodcomprises: (a) collecting tissue or cells capable of being propagatedfrom tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF; (b) cultivating said tissue or cellsto obtain proliferated shoots; and (c) rooting said proliferated shoots,to obtain rooted plantlets. Steps (b) and (c) may also be reversed,i.e., first cultivating said tissue to obtain roots and then cultivatingthe tissue to obtain shoots, thereby obtaining rooted plantlets. Therooted plantlets may then be further grown, to obtain plants. In oneembodiment, the method further comprises step (d) growing plants fromsaid rooted plantlets. Therefore, the method also comprises regeneratinga whole plant from said part of the plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF. In aparticular aspect, the part of the plant to be propagated is a cutting,a cell culture or a tissue culture.

The disclosure also provides for a vegetatively propagated plant ofvariety NUN 09247 TOF (or from progeny of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOFor from or a plant having all but one, two or three physiological and/ormorphological characteristics of that variety), wherein the plant hasall of the morphological and physiological characteristics of tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF, when the characteristics are determined at the 5%significance level for plants grown under the same conditions. Inanother aspect, the propagated plant has all but one, two or three ofthe morphological and physiological characteristics of tomato varietyNUN 09247 TOF, when the characteristics are determined at the 5%significance level for plants grown under the same conditions. A part ofsaid propagated plant or said propagated plant with one, two or threedifferences is also provided.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method for producing atomato plant part, preferably a fruit, comprising: growing a plant ofvariety NUN 09247 TOF until it sets at least one fruit, and collectingthe fruit. Preferably, the fruit is collected at harvest maturity. Inanother embodiment, the fruit is collected when the seed is ripe. Aplant of variety NUN 09247 TOF can be produced by seeding directly inthe soil (e.g., field) or by germinating the seeds in controlledenvironment conditions (e.g., greenhouses, hydroponic cultures, etc.)and optionally then transplanting the seedlings into the field. Forexample, the seed can be sown into prepared seed beds where they willremain for the entire production the crop. Tomatoes can be grown with asupport system such as poles (i.e., stakes) to keep the fruit fromtouching the ground or as bushes without support. Alternatively, plasticrow covers can also be used to control the temperature. Mulches orplastic tunnels can also be used to protect the plant from frost. Tomatocan also be grown entirely in greenhouses. Moreover, said variety can begrown in hydroponic cultures as described herein in, e.g., US2008/0222949, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety,and the skilled person is familiar with various type of hydroponiccultures.

In still another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of producing atomato plant, comprising crossing a plant of tomato variety NUN 09247TOF with a second tomato plant at least once, allowing seed to developand optionally harvesting said progeny seed. The skilled person canselect progeny from said crossing. Optionally, the progeny (grown fromthe progeny seed) is crossed twice, thrice, or four, five, six or seventimes, and allowed to set seed. In one aspect, the first “crossing”further comprises planting seeds of a first and a second parent tomatoplant, often in proximity so that pollination will occur; for example,mediated by insect vectors. Alternatively, pollen can be transferredmanually. Where the plant is self-pollinated, pollination may occurwithout the need for direct human intervention other than plantcultivation. After pollination the plant can produce seed.

In still another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of producing aplant, comprising selfing a plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF one or moretimes, and selecting a progeny tomato plant from said selfing. In oneaspect, the progeny plant retains all the distinguishing characteristicsof tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF described above when grown under thesame environmental conditions. In a different aspect, the progeny plantcomprises all of the physiological and morphological characteristic oftomato variety NUN 09247 TOF of Tables 1 and 2.

In other aspects, the disclosure provides a progeny plant of variety NUN09247 TOF such as a progeny plant obtained by further breeding of tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF. Further breeding with tomato variety NUN 09247TOF includes selfing that variety one or more times and/orcross-pollinating tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF with another tomato plantor variety one or more times. In particular, the disclosure provides fora progeny plant that retains all the essential morphological andphysiological characteristics of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF or, inanother aspect, a progeny plant that retains all, or all but one, two orthree, of the morphological and physiological characteristics of tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF, optionally all or all but one, two or three ofthe characteristics as listed in Tables 1 and 2, when grown under thesame environmental conditions, determined at the 5% significance levelfor numerical characteristics. In a particular aspect, the progeny is afirst generation progeny, i.e., the ovule or the pollen (or both) usedin the crossing is an ovule or pollen of variety NUN 09247 TOF, wherethe pollen comes from an anther and the ovule comes from an ovary ofvariety NUN 09247 TOF. In another aspect, the disclosure provides for avegetative reproduction of the variety and a plant having all, or allbut 1, 2, or 3 of the physiological and morphological characteristics oftomato variety NUN 09247 TOF (e.g., as listed in Tables 1 and 2).

The disclosure also provides a method for collecting pollen of tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF, comprising collecting pollen from a plant ofvariety NUN 09247 TOF. Alternatively, the method comprises growing aplant of variety NUN 09247 TOF until at least one flower contains pollenand collecting the pollen. In a particular aspect, the pollen iscollected when it is mature or ripe. A suitable method for collectingpollen comprises collecting anthers or the part of the anther thatcontains pollen, for example, by cutting the anther or the part of theanther off. Pollen can be collected in a container. Optionally,collected pollen can be used to pollinate a tomato flower.

The morphological and/or physiological differences between two differentindividual plants described herein (e.g., between tomato variety NUN09247 TOF and a progeny of said variety) or between a plant of varietyNUN 09247 TOF or progeny of said variety, or a plant having all, or allbut 1, 2, or 3, of the physiological and morphological characteristicsof tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF (or all, or all but 1, 2, or 3 of thecharacteristics as listed in Tables 1 and 2) and another known varietycan easily be established by growing said variety next to each other ornext to the other variety (in the same field, under the sameenvironmental conditions), preferably in several locations which aresuitable for said tomato cultivation, and measuring morphological and/orphysiological characteristics of a number of plants (e.g., to calculatean average value and to determine the variation range/uniformity withinthe variety). For example, trials can be carried out in Acampo Calif.,USA (N 38 degrees 07′261″/W 121 degrees 18′807″, USA), whereby variouscharacteristics, for example, maturity, days from seeding to harvest,plant habit, plant attitude, leaf shape, leaf color, blistering, numbersof flowers per leaf axil, number of calyx lobes, number of petals, fruitgroup, immature fruit color, mature fruit color, pungency, flavor, fruitglossiness, fruit size, fruit shape, average number of fruits per plant,seed size, seed weight, anthocyanin level, disease resistance, insectresistance, can be measured and directly compared for species of tomato.Thus, the disclosure comprises tomato plant having one, two or threephysiological and/or morphological characteristics which are differentfrom those of the plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF and which otherwise hasall the physiological and morphological characteristics of the plant ofvariety NUN 09247 TOF, when determined at the 5% significance level forplants grown under the same environmental conditions. In one aspect, thedifferent characteristic(s) is/are result of breeding with tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF and selection of a progeny plant comprising 1, 2or 3 characteristics which are different than in tomato variety NUN09247 TOF. In another aspect, the different characteristic is the resultof a mutation (e.g., spontaneous mutation or a human induced mutationthrough e.g., targeted mutagenesis or traditional mutagenesis such aschemically or radiation induced mutagenesis), or it is the result oftransformation.

The morphological and physiological characteristics (and thedistinguishing characteristics) of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF areprovided in Tables 1 and 2. Encompassed herein is also a plantobtainable from tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF (e.g., by selfing and/orcrossing and/or backcrossing with said variety and/or progeny of saidvariety) comprising all or all but one, two or three of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF listed in Tables 1 and 2 as determined at the 5% significancelevel for numerical characteristics or identical for non-numericalcharacteristics when grown under the same environmental conditionsand/or comprising one or more (or all; or all except one, two or three)characteristics when grown under the same environmental conditions. Themorphological and/or physiological characteristics may vary somewhatwith variation in the environment (such as temperature, light intensity,day length, humidity, soil, fertilizer use), which is why a comparisonunder the same environmental conditions is preferred. Colors can best bemeasured using the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Chart.

In yet a further aspect, the disclosure provides for a method ofproducing a new tomato plant. The method comprises crossing tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF, or a plant comprising all but 1, 2, or 3 of themorphological and physiological characteristics of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF (as listed in Tables 1 and 2), or a progeny plant thereof,either as male or as female parent, with a second tomato plant (or awild relative of tomato) one or more times, and/or selfing a tomatoplant of variety NUN 09247 TOF, or a progeny plant thereof, one or moretimes, and selecting progeny from said crossing and/or selfing. Thesecond tomato plant may, for example, be a line or variety of thespecies Solanum Lycopersicon, S. chilense, S. habrochaites, S. penelli,S. peruvianum, S. pimpinellifolium or other Solanum species.

The disclosure provides for methods of producing plants which retain allthe morphological and physiological characteristics of a plant describedherein. The disclosure also provides for methods of producing a plantcomprising all but 1, 2, or 3 or more of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF (e.g., aslisted in Tables 1 and 2), but which are still genetically closelyrelated to said variety. The relatedness can, for example, be determinedby fingerprinting techniques (e.g., making use of isozyme markers and/ormolecular markers such as Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers,amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers, microsatellites,minisatellites, Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers,restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) markers and others). Aplant is “closely related” to tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF if its DNAfingerprint is at least 80%, 90%, 95% or 98% identical to thefingerprint of that variety. In a particular aspect, AFLP markers areused for DNA fingerprinting (see, e.g., Vos et al. 1995, Nucleic AcidResearch 23: 4407-4414). A closely related plant may have a Jaccard'sSimilarity index of at least about 0.8, preferably at least about 0.9,0.95, 0.98 or more (see, e.g., Sharifova, S., et. al., (2013), Journalof Hort. Research, 21(1):83-89; Ince et al., (2010), Biochem. Genet.48:83-95; Parvathaneni et al., (2011), J. Crop Sci. Biotech, 14 (1):39-43; Pisanu, et. al., (2004), Acta Hort. 660, 83-89). The disclosurealso provides a plant and a variety obtained or selected by applyingthese methods on tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. Such a plant may beproduced by crossing and/or selfing, or alternatively, a plant maysimply be identified and selected amongst plants of said variety, orprogeny of said variety, e.g. by identifying a variant within tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF or within progeny of said variety (e.g., producedby selfing) which variant differs from the variety described herein inone, two or three of the morphological and/or physiologicalcharacteristics (e.g., in one, two or three distinguishingcharacteristics), e.g. those listed in Tables 1 and 2. In one aspect,the disclosure provides a tomato plant having a Jaccard's Similarityindex with tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF of at least 0.8, e.g. at least0.85, 0.9, 0.95, 0.98 or even at least 0.99.

In some aspects, the disclosure provides a tomato plant comprisinggenomic DNA having at least 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% sequence identitycompared to the genomic DNA sequence of a plant of variety NUN 09247 TOFas deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43642. In some aspects, thetomato plant further comprises all or all but 1, 2, or 3 of themorphological and physiological characteristics of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF (e.g., as listed in Tables 1 and 2). In other aspects, thetomato plant is a hybrid or other derived from a seed or plant ofvariety NUN 09247 TOF. In other aspects, the tomato plant comprises thedistinguishing characteristics of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF.

For the purpose of this disclosure, the “sequence identity” ofnucleotide sequences, expressed as a percentage, refers to the number ofpositions in the two optimally aligned sequences which have identicalresidues (×100) divided by the number of positions compared. A gap,i.e., a position in the pairwise alignment where a residue is present inone sequence but not in the other, is regarded as a position withnon-identical residues. A pairwise global sequence alignment of twonucleotide sequences is found by aligning the two sequences over theentire length according to the Needleman and Wunsch global alignmentalgorithm described in Needleman and Wunsch, 1970, J. Mol. Biol.48(3):443-53). A full implementation of the Needleman-Wunsch globalalignment algorithm is found in the needle program in The EuropeanMolecular Biology Open Software Suite (see, e.g., EMBOSS, Rice et al.,Trends in Genetics June 2000, vol. 16, No. 6. pp. 276-277).

The disclosure also provides methods for determining the identity ofparental lines of plants described herein, in particular the identity ofthe female line. US 2015/0126380, which is hereby incorporated byreference, relates to a non-destructive method for analyzing maternalDNA of a seed. In this method, the DNA is dislodged from the seed coatsurface and can be used to collect information on the genome of thematernal parent of the seed. This method for analyzing maternal DNA of aseed comprises contacting a seed with a fluid to dislodge DNA from theseed coat surface, and analyzing the DNA thus dislodged from the seedcoat surface using methods known in the art. The skilled person is thusable to determine whether a seed has grown on a plant of variety NUN09247 TOF or is a progeny of said variety, because the seed coat of theseed is a maternal tissue genetically identical to tomato variety NUN09247 TOF. In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a seed coatcomprising maternal tissue of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. In anotheraspect, the disclosure relates to a tomato seed comprising a maternaltissue of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. In another particular aspect,the disclosure provides for a method of identifying the female parentalline of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF by analyzing the seed coat of aseed of that variety. In another aspect, the disclosure provides for amethod of determining whether a seed is grown on tomato variety NUN09247 TOF by analyzing the seed coat or another maternal tissue of saidseed.

By crossing and/or selfing, (one or more) single traits may beintroduced into tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF (e.g., using backcrossingbreeding schemes), while retaining the remaining morphological andphysiological characteristics of said variety and/or while retaining oneor more or all distinguishing characteristics. A single trait convertedplant may thereby be produced. For example, disease resistance genes maybe introduced, genes responsible for one or more quality traits, yield,etc. Both single genes (e.g., dominant or recessive) and one or moreQTLs (quantitative trait loci) may be transferred into tomato varietyNUN 09247 TOF by breeding with said variety.

Alternatively, a single trait converted plant or single locus convertedplant of variety NUN 09247 TOF may be produced by (i) geneticallytransforming or mutating cells of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF; (ii)growing the cells into a plant; and (iii) optionally selecting a plantthat contains the desired single locus conversion. The skilled person isfamiliar with various techniques for genetically transforming a singlelocus in a plant cell, or mutating said cells.

Any pest or disease resistance genes may be introduced into a plant oftomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, progeny of said variety or into a plantcomprising all but 1, 2, or 3 or more of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF,respectively (e.g., as listed in Tables 1 and 2). Resistance to one ormore of the following diseases or pests may be introduced into the plantdescribed herein: Colorado potato beetle, Southern root knot nematode,Spider mites, Sugarfly beet army worm, Tobacco flea beetle, Tomatohornworm, Tomato fruitworm, Whitefly, Bacterial canker, Bacterial softrot, Bacterial speck, Bacterial wilt (Pseudomonas syringae pv. Tomato),Bacterial, Anthracnose (Gloeosporium piperatum), Brown rot or corky root(Pyrenochaeta lycopersici), Alternaria, Fusarium wilt (F. oxysporumraces), Gray leaf spot (Stemphylium spp.), Late blight (Phytophthorainfestans races), and Leaf mold (Cladosporium falvum races), Nematode(Meloidogyne spp.), Verticillium Wilt (Verticillium dahliae), Ralstoniasolanacearum (Rs), Leveillula taurica (Lt), and/or Oidium neolycopersici(On). Other resistance genes, against pathogenic viruses (e.g., TomatoMosaic Virus (ToMV), Curly TOF Virus, Tomato Mottle Virus, Potato YVirus, Blotchey Ripening, Tobacco Etch Virus, the various Tobacco MosaicVirus races, Concentric cracking, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV),Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV), Gold Fleck, Tomato Torrado Virus(ToTV)), fungi, bacteria, nematodes, insects or other pests may also beintroduced.

The disclosure also provides a method for developing a tomato plant in atomato breeding program, using a tomato plant described herein, or itsparts as a source of plant breeding material. Suitable plant breedingtechniques are recurrent selection, backcrossing, pedigree breeding,mass selection, mutation breeding and/or genetic marker enhancedselection. In one aspect, the method comprises crossing tomato varietyNUN 09247 TOF or progeny of said variety, or a plant comprising all but1, 2, or 3 or more of the morphological and physiologicalcharacteristics of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF (e.g., as listed inTables 1 and 2), with a different tomato plant, and wherein one or moreoffspring of the crossing are subject to one or more plant breedingtechniques: recurrent selection, backcrossing, pedigree breeding, massselection, mutation breeding and genetic marker enhanced selection (see,e.g., Vidaysky and Czosnek, (1998) Phytopathology 88(9): 910-4). Forbreeding methods in general, see, e.g., Principles of Plant Genetics andBreeding, 2007, George Acquaah, Blackwell Publishing, ISBN-13:978-1-4051-3646-4.

The disclosure also provides a tomato plant comprising at least a firstset of the chromosomes of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, a sample of seedof said variety is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43642;optionally further comprising a single locus conversion or a mutation,wherein said plant has essentially all of the morphological andphysiological characteristics of the plant comprising at least a firstset of the chromosomes of said variety. In another aspect, this singlelocus conversion confers a trait, wherein the trait is yield, storageproperties, color, flavor, male sterility, herbicide tolerance, insectresistance, pest resistance, disease resistance, environmental stresstolerance, modified carbohydrate metabolism, modified protein metabolismor ripening, or the mutation occurs in any of the following genes acs2,acs4, rin, pp2c1, arf9, intense, myb12.

In one aspect, a plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF may also be mutated (bye.g., irradiation, chemical mutagenesis, heat treatment, etc.) andmutated seeds or plants may be selected in order to change one or morecharacteristics of said variety. Methods such as TILLING may be appliedto tomato populations in order to identify mutants. Similarly, tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF may be transformed and regenerated, whereby one ormore chimeric genes are introduced into the variety or into a plantcomprising all but 1, 2, 3, or more of the morphological andphysiological characteristics (e.g., as listed in Tables 1 and 2).Transformation can be carried out using standard methods, such asAgrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation or biolistics,followed by selection of the transformed cells and regeneration intoplants. A desired trait (e.g., gene(s) conferring pest or diseaseresistance, herbicide, fungicide or insecticide tolerance, etc.) can beintroduced into tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, or progeny of saidvariety, by transforming said variety or progeny of said variety with atransgene that confers the desired trait, wherein the transformed plantretains all or all but one, two or three of the phenotypic and/ormorphological and/or physiological characteristics of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF or the progeny of said variety and contains the desired trait.

The disclosure also provides a plant or a cell of a plant comprising adesired trait produced by mutating a plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF or acell thereof and selecting a plant the desired trait, wherein themutated plant retains all or all but one of the phenotypic andmorphological characteristics of said variety, optionally as describedfor each variety in in Tables 1 and 2, and contains the desired traitand wherein a representative sample of seed of variety NUN 09247 TOF isdeposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43642. In a further aspect, thedesired trait is yield, storage properties, color, flavor, malesterility, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, pest resistance,disease resistance, environmental stress tolerance, modifiedcarbohydrate metabolism, modified protein metabolism or ripening, or themutation occurs in any of the following genes acs2, acs4, rin, ppZc1,arf9, intense, myb12.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method for inducing a mutationin tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF comprising:

-   -   a) exposing the seed, plant, plant part, or cell of tomato        variety NUN 09247 TOF to a mutagenic compound or to radiation,        wherein a representative sample of seed of said tomato variety        is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB;    -   b) selecting the seed, plant, plant part, or cell of tomato        variety NUN 09247 TOF having a mutation; and    -   c) optionally growing and/or multiplying the seed, plant, plant        part, or cell of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF having the        mutation.

The disclosure also provides a plant having one, two or threephysiological and/or morphological characteristics which are differentfrom those of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF and which otherwise has allthe physiological and morphological characteristics of said variety,wherein a representative sample of seed of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOFis deposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43642. In particular, variantswhich differ from tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, in none, one, two orthree of the characteristics mentioned in Tables 1 and 2 areencompassed.

A part of the plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF (or of progeny of saidvariety or of a plant having all physiological and/or morphologicalcharacteristics but one, two or three which are different from those ofsaid variety) encompasses any cells, tissues, organs obtainable from theseedlings or plants, such as but not limited to: a tomato fruit or apart thereof, a cutting, a hypocotyl, a cotyledon, seed coat, pollen andthe like. Such parts can be stored and/or processed further. Thedisclosure further provides for food or feed products comprising a partof tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF or a part of progeny of said variety, ora part of a plant having all but one, two or three physiological and/ormorphological characteristics of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF,comprising one or more of such parts, optionally processed (such ascanned, chopped, cooked, roasted, in a sauce, in a sandwich, pasted,puréed or concentrated, juiced, frozen, dried, pickled, or powdered).

In one aspect, the disclosure provides for a haploid plant and/or adoubled haploid plant of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, or of a planthaving all but one, two or three physiological and/or morphologicalcharacteristics of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, or progeny of any ofthese, is encompassed herein. Haploid and doubled haploid (DH) plantscan, for example, be produced by cell or tissue culture and chromosomedoubling agents and regeneration into a whole plant. DH productionchromosome doubling may be induced using known methods, such ascolchicine treatment or the like. In one aspect, the method comprisesinducing a cell or tissue culture with a chromosome doubling agent andregenerating the cells or tissues into a whole plant.

In another aspect, the disclosure comprises a method for making doubledhaploid cells from haploid cells of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOFcomprising doubling cells of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF with adoubling agent, such as colchicine treatment (see, e.g., Nikolova V,Niemirowicz-Szczytt K (1996) Acta Soc Bot Pol 65:311-317).

In another aspect, the disclosure provides for haploid plants and/ordoubled haploid plants derived from tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF that,when combined, make a set of parents of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF.The haploid plant and/or the doubled haploid plant of variety NUN 09247TOF can be used in a method for generating parental lines of tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF.

Using methods known in the art such as “reverse synthesis of breedinglines” or “reverse breeding,” it is possible to produce parental linesfor a hybrid plant such as tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. A skilledperson can take any individual heterozygous plant (called a“phenotypically superior plant” in Example 2 of US 2015/0245570, whichis hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety; tomato variety NUN09247 TOF is such plant) and generate a combination of parental lines(reverse breeding parental lines) that, when crossed, produce thevariety NUN 09247 TOF. It is not necessary that the reverse breedingparental lines are identical to the original parental lines. Such newbreeding methods are based on the segregation of individual alleles inthe spores produced by a desired plant and/or in the progeny derivedfrom the self-pollination of that desired plant, and on the subsequentidentification of suitable progeny plants in one generation, or in alimited number of inbred cycles. Such a method is known from US2015/0245570 or from Wijnker et al., Nature Protocols Volume: 9, Pages:761-772 (2014) DOI: doi:10.1038/nprot.2014.049. Thus, the disclosureprovides a method for producing parental lines for a hybrid organism(e.g., tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF), comprising in one aspect: a)defining a set of genetic markers present in a heterozygous form (H) ina partially heterozygous starting organism; b) producing doubled haploidlines from spores of the starting organism; c) geneticallycharacterizing the doubled haploid lines thus obtained for the said setof genetic markers to determine whether they are present in a firsthomozygous form (A) or in a second homozygous form (B); and d) selectingat least one pair of doubled haploid lines that have complementaryalleles for at least a subset of the genetic markers, wherein eachmember of the pair is suitable as a parental line for the hybridorganism.

In another aspect, the method for producing parental lines of a hybridorganisms, e.g., of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, which when crossedreconstitute the genome of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, comprising:

-   -   a) defining a set of genetic markers that are present in a        heterozygous form (H) in a partially heterozygous starting        organism;    -   b) producing at least one further generation from the starting        organism by self-pollination (e.g., F2or F3generation);    -   c) selecting at least one pair of progeny organisms in which at        least one genetic marker from the set is present in a        complementary homozygous form (B vs. A, or A vs. B); and    -   d) optionally repeating steps b) and c) until at least one pair        of progeny organisms that have complementary alleles for at        least a subset of the genetic markers has been selected as        parental lines for a hybrid.

The disclosure also provides a method for producing parental lines forhybrid NUN 09247 TOF comprising: genetically characterizing a doubledhaploid line from tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF to determine whether oneor more genetic markers are present in a first homozygous form or in asecond homozygous form in said line, wherein the one or more geneticmarkers are present in a heterozygous form in tomato variety NUN 09247TOF; and selecting at least one pair of doubled haploid lines that havecomplementary alleles for the one or more the genetic markers, whereineach member of the pair is suitable as a parental line for a hybridorganism, optionally this method further comprises defining a set ofgenetic markers present in a heterozygous form in tomato variety NUN09247 TOF; and producing doubled haploid lines from tomato variety NUN09247 TOF. Doubled haploid lines generated as described herein can beused in such a method.

Thus, in one aspect, the disclosure relates to a method of producing acombination of parental lines of a plant of variety NUN 09247 TOFcomprising making doubled haploid cells from haploid cells or seed ofthat plant; and optionally crossing these parental lines to produce andcollecting seeds. In another aspect, the disclosure relates to acombination of parental lines produced by this method. In still anotheraspect, the combination of parental lines can be used to produce a seedor plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF when these parental lines are crossed.In still another aspect, the disclosure relates to a combination ofparental lines from which a seed or plant having all physiologicaland/or morphological characteristics of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF(when the characteristics are determined at the 5% significance levelfor plants grown under the same conditions).

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of introducing asingle locus conversion, single trait conversion, or a desired traitinto tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF comprising:

-   -   a) obtaining a combination of a parental lines of tomato variety        NUN 09247 TOF, optionally through reverse synthesis of breeding        lines,    -   b) introducing a single locus conversion, single trait        conversion, or a desired trait in at least one of the parents of        step a); and    -   c) crossing the converted parent with the other parent of        step a) to obtain seed of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF.

A combination of a male and a female parental line of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF can be generated by methods described herein, for example,through reverse synthesis of breeding lines.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of introducing asingle locus conversion, single trait conversion, or a desired traitinto tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, comprising introducing a single locusconversion, single trait conversion, or a desired trait in at least oneof the parents of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF; and crossing theconverted parent with the other parent of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOFto obtain seed of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF.

In another aspect, the step of introducing a single locus conversion,single trait conversion, or a desired trait in at least one of theparents comprises:

-   -   a) obtaining a cell or tissue culture of cells of the parental        line of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF;    -   b) genetically transforming or mutating said cells;    -   c) growing the cells into a plant; and    -   d) optionally selecting plants that contain the single locus        conversion, the single trait conversion, or the desired trait.

In another method, the step of introducing a single locus conversion,single trait conversion, or a desired trait in at least one of theparents comprises genetically transforming or mutating cells theparental line of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF; growing the cells into aplant; and optionally selecting plants that contain the single locusconversion, the single trait conversion, or the desired trait.

In another aspect, the step of introducing a single locus conversion,single trait conversion, or a desired trait in at least one of theparents comprises:

-   -   a) crossing the parental line of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF        with a second tomato plant comprising the single locus        conversion, the single trait conversion, or the desired trait;    -   b) selecting F1 progeny plants that contain the single locus        conversion, the single trait conversion, or the desired trait;    -   c) crossing said selected progeny plants of step b) with the        parental line of step a) to produce a backcross progeny plant;    -   d) selecting backcross progeny plants comprising the single        locus conversion, the single trait conversion or the desired        trait and otherwise all or all but one, two or three of the        morphological and physiological characteristics the parental        line of step a) to produce selected backcross progeny plants;        and    -   e) optionally repeating steps c) and d) one or more times in        succession to produce selected second, third or fourth or higher        backcross progeny plants comprising the single locus conversion,        the single trait conversion or the desired trait and otherwise        all or all but one, two or three of the morphological and        physiological characteristics the parental line of step a) to        produce selected backcross progeny plants, when grown in the        same environmental conditions.        The disclosure further relates to plants obtained by this        method.

In any of the above methods, where the single locus conversion, singletrait conversion, or a desired trait concerns a trait, the trait may beyield or pest resistance or disease resistance. In one aspect, the traitis disease resistance and the resistance are conferred to Coloradopotato beetle, Southern root knot nematode, Spider mites, Sugarfly beetarmy worm, Tobacco flea beetle, Tomato hornworm, Tomato fruitworm,Whitefly, Bacterial canker, Bacterial soft rot, Bacterial speck,Bacterial wilt (Pseudomonas syringae pv. Tomato), Bacterial, Anthracnose(Gloeosporium piperatum), Brown rot or corky root (Pyrenochaetalycopersici), Alternaria, Fusarium wilt (F. oxysporum races), Gray leafspot (Stemphylium spp.), Late blight (Phytophthora infestans races), andLeaf mold (Cladosporium fulvum races), Nematode (Meloidogyne spp.),Verticillium Wilt (Verticillium dahliae), Ralstonia solanacearum (Rs),Leveillula taurica (Lt), and/or Oidium neolycopersici (On). Otherresistance genes, against pathogenic viruses (e.g., Tomato Mosaic Virus(ToMV), Curly TOF Virus, Tomato Mottle Virus, Potato Y Virus, BlotcheyRipening, Tobacco Etch Virus, the various Tobacco Mosaic Virus races,Concentric cracking, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV), Tomato YellowLeaf Curl Virus (TYLCV), Gold Fleck, Tomato Torrado Virus (ToTV)),fungi, bacteria, nematodes, insects or other pests may also beintroduced.

The disclosure also provides a combination of parental lines which, whencrossed, produce a seed or plant having all physiological and/ormorphological characteristics of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF but one,two or three which are different (when grown under the sameenvironmental conditions), as well as a seed or plant having allphysiological and/or morphological characteristics of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF but one, two or three which are different (when thecharacteristics are determined at the 5% significance level for plantsgrown under the same conditions).

Also provided is a plant part obtainable from variety NUN 09247 TOF orfrom progeny of said variety or from a plant having all but one, two orthree tomato variety 09247 TOF or from a vegetatively propagated plantof variety NUN 09247 TOF (or from its progeny or from a plant having allor all but one, two or three physiological and/or morphologicalcharacteristics which are different from those of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF), wherein the plant part is a fruit, a harvested fruit, a partof a fruit, a leaf, a part of a leaf, pollen, an ovule, a cell, apetiole, a shoot or a part thereof, a stem or a part thereof, a root ora part thereof, a root tip, a cutting, a seed, a part of a seed,seed-coat or another maternal tissue which is part of a seed grown ontomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, or a hypocotyl, a cotyledon, a scion, astock, a rootstock, a pistil, an anther, or a flower or a part thereof.

The disclosure also provides a combination of parental lines which, whencrossed, produce a seed or plant having all physiological and/ormorphological characteristics of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF one, twoor three which are different (when grown under the same environmentalconditions), as well as a seed or plant having all physiological and/ormorphological characteristics of tomato variety NUN 09220 TOF, but one,two or three which are different (when the characteristics aredetermined at the 5% significance level for plants grown under the sameconditions).

In another aspect, the disclosure provides a method of determining thegenotype of a plant described herein comprising detecting in the genome(e.g., a sample of nucleic acids) of the plant at least a firstpolymorphism or an allele. The skilled person is familiar with manysuitable methods of genotyping, detecting a polymorphism or detecting anallele including SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) genotyping,restriction fragment length polymorphism identification (RFLP) ofgenomic DNA, random amplified polymorphic detection (RAPD) of genomicDNA, amplified fragment length polymorphism detection (AFLP), polymerasechain reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing, allele specific oligonucleotide(ASO) probes, and hybridization to DNA microarrays or beads.Alternatively, the entire genome could be sequenced. The method may, incertain embodiments, comprise detecting a plurality of polymorphisms inthe genome of the plant, for example by obtaining a sample of nucleicacid from a plant and detecting in said nucleic acids a plurality ofpolymorphisms. The method may further comprise storing the results ofthe step of detecting the plurality of polymorphisms on a computerreadable medium.

The disclosure also provides for a food or feed product comprising orconsisting of a plant part described herein. Preferably, the plant partis a tomato fruit or part thereof and/or an extract from a fruit oranother plant part described herein. The food or feed product may befresh or processed, e.g., dried, grinded, powdered, pickled, chopped,cooked, roasted, in a sauce, in a sandwich, pasted, puréed orconcentrated, juiced, pickled, canned, steamed, boiled, fried, blanchedand/or frozen, etc.

Marketable tomato fruits are generally sorted by size and quality afterharvest. Alternatively, the tomato fruits can be sorted by expectedshelf life, pH, or Brix.

Tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF may also be grown for use as rootstocks(stocks) or scions. Typically, different types of tomatoes are graftedto enhance disease resistance, which is usually conferred by therootstock, while retaining the horticultural qualities usually conferredby the scion. It is not uncommon for grafting to occur betweencultivated tomato varieties and related tomato species. Methods ofgrafting and vegetative propagation are well-known in the art.

In another aspect, the disclosure provides to a plant comprising arootstock or scion of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF.

All documents (e.g., patent publications) are herein incorporated byreference in their entirety, including the following cited references:

-   UPOV, Guidelines for the Conduct of Tests for Distinctness,    Uniformity and Stability, TG/13/11, world-wide web at upov.int under    edocs/tgdocs/en/tg044.pdf.-   US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service,    Objective Description of Variety Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum or    Lycopersicon esculentum Mill), world wide web at    ams.usda.gov/services/plant-variety-protection/pvpo-c-forms, under    tomato.-   Acquaah, Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding, 2007, Blackwell    Publishing, ISBN-13: 978-1-4051-3646-4.-   Bhatia, P., et al., Tissue Culture Studies of Tomato (Lycopersicum    esculentum), Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture, 2004, vol. 78,    pp. 1-21.

Ince, A. G., et al., Genetic Relationship Within and Between CapsicumSpecies, Biochem Genet, 2010, vol. 48, pp. 83-95.

Needleman, S. B., et. al., A General Method Applicable to the Search forSimilarities in the Amino Acid Sequence of Two Proteins, Journal ofMolecular Biology, 1970, vol. 48(3), pp. 443-53.

-   Nikolova, V., et. al., Diploidization of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus    L.) Haploids by Colchini Treatment, Acta Societas Botanicorum    Poloniae, 1996, vol. 65, pp. 311-317.-   Pisanu, A. B., et. al., “Yield and Biometric Characteristics of 9    Clones Selected from the Population of “Spinoso sardo” Artichokes,    Acta Hort., 2004, ISHS 660, pp. 83-89.-   Rice et al., EMBOSS: The European Molecular Biology Open Software    Suite, Trends in Genetics, 2000, vol. 16, Issue 6. pp. 276-277.-   Sharifova, S., et. al., “Assessment of Genetic Diversity in    Cultivated Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Genotypes Using RAPD    Primers”, Journal of Horticultural Research, 2013, vol. 21, no. 1,    pp. 83-89.-   Vidaysky F, Czosnek H., 1998, Tomato Breeding Lines resistant and    tolerant to tomato yellow leaf curl virus issued from Lycopersicum    hirsutum, Phytopathology, September; 88(9):910-4.-   Vos, P., et al., AFLP: A New Technique for DNA Fingerprinting 1995,    Nucleic Acids Research, 1995, vol. 23, No. 21, pp. 4407-4414.-   Wijnker, E., et al., Hybrid Recreation by Reverse breeding in    Arabidopsis thaliana, Nature Protocols, 2014, vol. 9, pp. 761-772.-   US2008/0222949-   U.S. Pat. No. 9,125,353-   US2002/0010953-   U.S. Pat. No. 6,060,648-   EP1057401-   EP1428425-   US2008/0222949-   US2015/0126380-   US2015/0245570-   https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/55-Tomato%20ST-470-55%202015.pdf-   https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/7228.pdf-   https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8017.pdf-   http://www.upov.int/edocs/tgdocs/en/tg044.pdf-   https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/which-are-the-world-s-leading-tomato-producing-countries.html    Development of Tomato Variety NUN 09247 TOF

The hybrid variety NUN 09247 TOF was developed from a male and femaleproprietary inbred line of Nunhems, selected mainly for its fruit numberand good flower. The female and male parents were crossed to producehybrid (F1) seeds of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF. The seeds of tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF can be grown to produce hybrid plants and partsthereof (e.g., tomato fruit). The hybrid variety NUN 09247 TOF can bepropagated by seeds or vegetatively.

The hybrid variety is uniform and genetically stable. This has beenestablished through evaluation of horticultural characteristics. Severalhybrid seed production events resulted in no observable deviation ingenetic stability. Coupled with the confirmation of genetic stability ofthe female and male parents the Applicant has concluded that tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF is uniform and stable.

Deposit Information

A total of 2500 seeds of the hybrid variety NUN 09247 TOF was made andaccepted according to the Budapest Treaty by Nunhems B.V. on Jul. 22,2020, at the NCIMB Ltd., Ferguson Building, Craibstone Estate,Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9YA, United Kingdom (NCIMB). The deposit hasbeen assigned NCIMB number 43642. A statement indicating the viabilityof the sample will be provided. A deposit of tomato variety NUN 09247TOF and of the male and female parent line is also maintained at NunhemsB.V. Tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF has a seed lot number of 28438601002.

The deposit will be maintained in NCIMB for a period of 30 years, or 5years after the most recent request, or for the enforceable life of thepatent whichever is longer and will be replaced if it ever becomesnonviable during that period. Access to the deposit will be availableduring the pendency of this application to persons determined by theDirector of the U.S. Patent Office to be entitled thereto upon request.All restrictions imposed by the depositor on the availability to thepublic of the deposited material will be irrevocably removed upon thegranting of the patent. Applicant does not waive any rights grantedunder this patent on this application or under the Plant VarietyProtection Act (7 U.S.C. § 2321 et seq.). Accordingly, the requirementsof 37 CFR § 1.801-1.809 have been satisfied.

Characteristics of Tomato Variety NUN 09247 TOF

The most similar variety to NUN 09247 TOF is Sweetelle, a variety fromSyngenta.

In Tables 1 and 2, a comparison between tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF andthe Reference Variety is shown based on a trial in the Netherlandsduring the trial season 2017.

Two replications of 12 plants of each variety, from which at least 10plants or plant parts were randomly selected and were used to measurecharacteristics. For numerical characteristics averages were calculated.For non-numerical characteristics, the type/degree were determined.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a plant having the physiologicaland morphological characteristics of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF aspresented in Tables 1 and 2.

TABLE 1 Characteristics of Tomato Variety NUN 09247 TOF and theReference Variety Application Variety Reference Variety Characteristics(NUN 09247 TOF) (Sweetelle) Seedling: Anthocyanin coloration ofhypocotyl: Present Present 1 = Absent; 2 = Present Plant: Growth type: 1= Determinate; 2 = Indeterminate Indeterminate Indeterminate; 3 =Semi-determinant; 4 = Semi indeterminant Plant height: 1 = Very short; 3= Short; Very long Medium to long 5 = Medium; 7 = Long; 9 = Very longStem: Anthocyanin coloration: 1 = Absent or Absent or very weak Weakvery weak; 3 = Weak; 5 = Medium; 7 = Strong; 9 = Very strong Length ofinternode: 3 = Short; 5 = Medium Medium Medium; 7 = Long Leaf: Attitude:1 = Erect; 2 = Semi-erect; 5 = Horizontal Horizontal to semi-Horizontal; 7 = Semi-drooping; 9 = drooping Drooping Length: 3 = Short;5 = Medium; 7 = Medium Long Long Width: 3 = Narrow; 5 = Medium; 7 =Medium Medium Broad Type of blade: 1 = Pinnate; 2 = Bipinnate BipinnateBipinnate Size of leaflets (in middle of leaf): 1 = Small Medium tolarge Very small; 3 = Small; 5 = Medium; 7 = Large; 9 = Very largeIntensity of green color: 1 = Very light; Dark Dark 3 = Light; 5 =Medium; 7 = Dark; 9 = Very dark Glossiness: 3 = Weak; 5 = Medium; 7 =Medium Medium Strong Blistering: 3 = Weak; 5 = Medium; 7 = Medium Weakto medium Strong Attitude of petiole of leaflet in relation HorizontalSemi-erect to main axis: 3 = Semi-erect; 5 = Horizontal; 7 =Semi-drooping Flower: Inflorescence type: 1 = Mainly Equally uniparousand Mainly multiparous uniparous; 2 = Equally uniparous and multiparousmultiparous; 3 = Mainly multiparous Color: 1 = Yellow; 2 = Orange YellowYellow Pubescence of style: 1 = Absent or Present Present very scarce; 9= Present Peduncle: Abscission layer: 1 = Absent; 2 = Present PresentPresent Pedicel length: 3 = Short; 5 = Medium; Medium Medium 7 = LongFruit: Green shoulder (before maturity): 1 = Absent Present Absent; 9 =Present Extent of green shoulder (before No green shoulder Medium tolarge maturity): 1 = Very small; 3 = Small; 5 = Medium; 7 = LargeIntensity of green color of shoulder No green shoulder Dark (beforematurity): 3 = Light; 5 = Medium; 7 = Dark Intensity of green colorexcluding No green shoulder Light to medium shoulder (before maturity):1 = Very light; 3 = Light; 5 = Medium; 7 = Dark; 9 = Very dark Greenstripes (before maturity): 1 = Absent Absent Absent; 9 = Present Size: 1= Very small; 2 = Very small to Very small to small Very small to smallsmall; 3 = Small; 4 = Small to medium; 5 = Medium; 6 = Medium to large;7 = Large; 8 = Large to very large; 9 = Very large Weight of ripenedfruit (grams): 10 g 12 g Shape in longitudinal section: 1 = EllipticCordate Flattened; 2 = Oblate; 3 = Circular; 4 = Oblong; 5 =Cylindrical; 6 = Elliptic; 7 = Cordate; 8 = Ovate; 9 = Obovate; 10 =Pyriform; 11 = Obcordate Ribbing at peduncle end: 1 = Absent or WeakVery weak to weak very weak; 3 = Weak; 5 = Medium; 7 = Strong; 9 = Verystrong Depression at peduncle end: 1 = Absent or very weak Very weak toweak Absent or very weak; 3 = Weak; 5 = Medium; 7 = Strong; 9 = Verystrong Size of peduncle scar: 1 = Very small; Very small Very small 3 =Small; 5 = Medium; 7 = Large; 9 = Very large Size of blossom scar: =Very small; 3 = Very small Very small Small; 5 = Medium; 7 = Large; 9 =Very large Shape at blossom end: 1 = Indented; 2 = Flat Indented to flatIndented to flat; 3 = Flat; 4 = Flat to pointed; 5 = Pointed Size ofcore in cross section; 1 = Very Very small Very small to small small; 3= Small; 5 = Medium; 7 = Large; 9 = Very thick Thickness of pericarp: 1= Very thin; Medium Very thin to thin 3 = Thin; 5-Medium; 7 = Thick; 9 =Very thick Number of locules: 1 = Only two; 2 = Only two Only two Two orthree; 3 = Three or four; 4 = Four, five, or six; 5 = More than sixColor of immature fruit: Green Green Color at maturity: 1 = Cream; 2 =Red Red Yellow; 3 = Orange; 4 = Pink; 5 = Red; 6 = Brown; 7 = GreenColor of flesh (at maturity): 1 = Cream; Red Red 2 = Yellow; 3 = Orange;4 = Pink; 5 = Red; 6 = Brown; 7 = Green Glossiness of skin: 1 = Weak; 2= Medium Medium Medium; 3 = Strong Color of epidermis: 1 = Colorless; 2= Colorless Colorless Yellow Firmness: 1 = Very soft; 3 = Soft; 5 = FirmFirm Medium; 7 = Firm; 9 = Very firm Shelf life: 1 = Very short; 3 =Short; 5 = Very long, 24 days Very long, 24 days Medium; 7 = Long/9 =Very long Maturity: Time of flowering (50% of the plants Medium Early tomedium with at least one open flower from seed sowing): 3 = Early; 5 =Medium; 7 = Late Time of maturity: 1 = Very early; 3 = Very early toearly Very early to early Early; 5 = Medium; 7 = Late; 9 = Very late

TABLE 2 Disease Resistances of Tomato Variety NUN 09247 TOF and theReference Variety Application Variety (NUN 09247 Reference VarietyResistances TOF) (Sweetelle) Meloidoygne incognita (Mi) Not testedResistant 1 = Susceptible; 2 = Intermediate Resistant; 3 = ResistantVerticillium dahliae Race 0 Absent Absent 1 = Absent; 9 = PresentFusarium oxysporum f. sp. Absent Present Lycopersici Race 0 1 = Absent;9 = Present Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Absent Absent Lycopersici Race 1 1= Absent; 9 = Present Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Absent Not observedLycopersici Race 2 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.radicis Absent Absent lycopersici 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Fulvia fitivaRace 0 Not tested Not tested 0 = not tested; 1 = Absent; 9 = PresentFulvia fitiva Group A Present Present 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Fulviafitiva Group B Present Present 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Fulvia fitivaGroup C Present Present 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Fulvia fidva Group DPresent Present 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Fulvia fidva Group E PresentPresent 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV) Strain 0Present Present 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV)Strain 1 Present Present 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Tomato Mosaic Virus(ToMV) Strain 2 Present Present 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Tomato MosaicVirus (ToMV) Strain Present Present 1-2 1 = Absent; 9 = PresentPhytophthora infestans Absent Absent 1 = Absent; 9 = PresentPyrenochaeta lycopersici Not tested Not tested 0 = not tested; 1 =Absent; 9 = Present Stemphylium spp. Not tested Not tested 0 = nottested; 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato Nottested Not tested 0 = not tested; 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Ralstoniasolanacearum Race 1 Not tested Not tested 0 = not tested; 1 = Absent; 9= Present Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus Absent Absent (TYLCV) 1 =Absent; 9 = Present Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Race 0 Absent Absent 1 =Absent; 9 = Present Leveillula Taurica Not tested Not tested 0 = nottested; 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Oidium neolypersici Not tested Nottested 0 = not tested; 1 = Absent; 9 = Present Torrado Virus Not testedNot tested 0 = not tested; 1 = Absent; 9 = Present

TABLE 3 Distinguishing Characteristics between Tomato Variety NUN 09247TOF and the Reference Variety Application Variety Reference VarietyCharacteristics (NUN 09247 TOF) (Sweetelle) Plant height: Plant height:1 = Very short; 3 = Short; Very long Medium to long 5 = Medium; 7 =Long; 9 = Very long Leaf: Attitude: 1 = Erect; 2 = Semi-erect; 5 =Horizontal Horizontal to semi- Horizontal; 7 = Semi-drooping; 9 =drooping Drooping Length: 3 = Short; 5 = Medium; 7 = Medium Long LongWidth: 3 = Narrow; 5 = Medium; 7 = Broad Medium Broad Size of leaflets(in middle of leaf): 1 = Small Medium to large Very small; 3 = Small; 5= Medium; 7 = Large; 9 = Very large Attitude of petiole of leaflet inrelation Horizontal Semi-erect to main axis: 3 = Semi-erect; 5 =Horizontal; 7 = Semi-drooping Flower: Inflorescence type: 1 = MainlyEqually uniparous and Mainly multiparous uniparous; 2 = Equallyuniparous and multiparous multiparous; 3 = Mainly multiparous Fruit:Green shoulder (before maturity): 1 = Absent Present Absent; 9 = PresentExtent of green shoulder (before No green shoulder Medium to largematurity): 1 = Very small; 3 = Small; 5 = Medium; 7 = Large Intensity ofgreen color of shoulder No green shoulder Dark (before maturity): 3 =Light; 5 = Medium; 7 = Dark Intensity of green color excluding No greenshoulder Light to medium shoulder (before maturity): 1 = Very light; 3 =Light; 5 = Medium; 7 = Dark; 9 = Very dark Weight of ripened fruit(grams): 10 g 12 g Shape in longitudinal section: 1 = Elliptic CordateFlattened; 2 = Oblate; 3 = Circular; 4 = Oblong; 5 = Cylindrical; 6 =Elliptic; 7 = Cordate; 8 = Ovate; 9 = Obovate; 10 = Pyriform; 11 =Obcordate Shape at blossom end: 1 = Indented; 2 = Flat Indented to flatIndented to flat; 3 = Flat; 4 = Flat to pointed; 5 = Pointed Thicknessof pericarp: 1 = Very thin; Medium Very thin to thin 3 = Thin; 5-Medium;7 = Thick; 9 = Very thick

The invention claimed is:
 1. A plant, plant part, or seed of tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF, wherein a representative sample of seed of saidvariety is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB
 43642. 2. The plantpart of claim 1, wherein said plant part is a fruit, a leaf, pollen, anovule, a cell, a scion, a root, a rootstock, a cutting, or a flower. 3.A seed that produces the plant of claim
 1. 4. A plant produced bygrowing the seed of claim
 1. 5. A tomato plant having all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the plant of claim 1.6. A tissue or cell culture comprising regenerable cells of the plant ofclaim
 1. 7. The tissue or cell culture according to claim 6, comprisingcells or protoplasts from a plant part, wherein the plant part is ameristem, a cotyledon, a hypocotyl, pollen, a leaf, an anther, a root, aroot tip, a pistil, a petiole, a flower, a fruit, a stem, or a stalk. 8.A tomato plant regenerated from the tissue or cell culture of claim 6,wherein the regenerated plant has all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of the plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF,when grown under the same environmental conditions, and wherein arepresentative sample of seed of said tomato variety is deposited underAccession Number NCIMB
 43642. 9. A method of producing the plant ofclaim 1 or a part thereof, said method comprising vegetative propagatingthe plant part of claim
 1. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein saidvegetative propagating comprises regenerating a whole plant from a partof the plant of variety NUN 09247 TOF, wherein a representative sampleof seed of said tomato variety is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB43642.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein said part is a cutting, a cellculture, or a tissue culture.
 12. A vegetative propagated plant, or partthereof produced by the method of claim 9, wherein the plant and partthereof have all of the physiological and morphological characteristicsof tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, when grown under the same environmentalconditions.
 13. A method of producing a tomato plant, said methodcomprising crossing the plant of claim 1 with a second tomato plant oneor more times, selecting a progeny tomato plant from said crossing andoptionally allowing the progeny tomato plant to form seed.
 14. A methodof producing a tomato plant, said method comprising selfing the plant ofclaim 1 one or more times, and selecting a progeny tomato plant fromsaid selling and optionally allowing the progeny tomato plant to formseed.
 15. A method of producing a tomato plant having a desired trait,said method comprising introducing a transgene conferring the desiredtrait into the plant of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, wherein arepresentative sample of seed of tomato variety is deposited underAccession Number NCIMB
 43642. 16. A tomato plant having all thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the plant of claim 1,when grown under the same environmental conditions, and wherein arepresentative sample of seed of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF isdeposited under Accession Number NCIMB 43642, further comprising atransgene.
 17. A plant of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF having all of themorphological and physiological characteristics of the plant of claim 1,when grown under the same environmental conditions, further comprising asingle locus conversion, wherein the single locus conversion confersmale sterility, herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, diseaseresistance, environmental stress tolerance, modified carbohydratemetabolism, or modified protein metabolism.
 18. A method of producingdoubled haploid cells of tomato variety NUN 09247 TOF, said methodcomprising making double haploid cells from haploid cells from the plantor plant part of claim 1, wherein a representative sample of seed ofsaid tomato variety is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB
 43642. 19.A plant comprising the scion or rootstock of claim
 2. 20. A containercomprising the plant, plant part, or seed of claim
 1. 21. A method ofproducing a tomato fruit, said method comprising growing the plant ofclaim 1 until it sets at least one fruit, and collecting the fruit. 22.A fruit produced by the method of claim 21, wherein the fruit has all ofthe physiological and morphological characteristics of tomato varietyNUN 09247 TOF, a representative sample of seed of tomato variety NUN09247 TOF is deposited under Accession Number NCIMB
 43642. 23. A methodof producing a modified tomato plant having a single trait, said methodcomprises mutating a tomato plant or plant part of variety NUN 09247TOF, wherein a representative sample of seed of said tomato variety isdeposited under Accession Number 43642, and wherein the modified planthas all of the physiological and morphological characteristics of tomatovariety NUN 09247 TOF, and the single trait, wherein the trait is malesterility, herbicide tolerance, pest resistance, environmental stressresistance, modified carbohydrate metabolism, or modified proteinmetabolism.
 24. A method of determining the genotype of the plant ofclaim 1, said method comprising obtaining a sample of nucleic acids fromsaid plant, detecting in said nucleic acids a plurality ofpolymorphisms, thereby determining the genotype of the plant, andstoring the results of detecting the plurality of polymorphisms on acomputer readable medium.